I'm going to make this (relatively) short and sweet. So, TTFN, and let me tell you why...
1) The lack of moderation on this site is getting ridiculous. I consider DailyKos my second home. I've formed deep, personal friendships with more members of this community than I can count. It physically pains me to see that this community is getting ripped apart by trolls and folks who make it their duty to disrupt and deride the members of this community who try to have a serious discussion about every issue you can think of, from gay rights to the election to non-controversial things like cats or weather. This leads me to my next point:
2) The moderation we have now is insane. Markos recently called Meteor Blades' role as a moderator a "failed experiment," which not only do I find slightly insulting to MB, but an idea with which I disagree. Of course there were people upset with Meteor Blades' moderation if it didn't go the way they wanted, that's human nature. But by taking Mr. Blades out of the role of mediator, and leaving that role empty and putting the Trusted Users of DailyKos solely in charge of trolling, is just insane.
3) Trusted Users. It's clear that there are people with TU powers who shouldn't have them, we've always had that, but something happened in the transition from DK3 to DK4 that gave everyone and their grandmother's hairplugs the little "Hide" button beneath every comment. People who have TU status are overwhelmed by trolls because of my #2 point, and some who have TU status are abusing the hell out of it. Look at our good friend Jake Johnson from my diaries the other day. He trolled the fuck out of this place, and accumulated 358 HRs. THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT HRs. With all 358 of those HRs, not only was he able to stay here and continue trolling, but with 45 uprates, he kept his TU status. If you're going to leave us to patrol our own streets, give us the proper tools with which to patrol.
The issues I listed above are the only reasons I'm going on hiatus. I don't care that there are folks who want to primary Obama or support Obama or any of that. I care about the people giving the transsexual community on this site hell for being who they are. I care about the RKBA community, regardless of my political disagreement with them, having to deal incessantly with trolls and not being able to do anything because HRing is virtually useless. I care about the pro/anti-Obama people and the I/P people and the pootie people and everyone on here having to watch their community go down the drains because there are toddlers in the room who won't shut the hell up. I'm tired of this community being treated like a piece of trash. You guys mean too much to me to let this happen, and something needs to be done, because I'm not the first, nor am I the last, to feel this way.
Here is what I want to see changed:
-We need to have at least one dedicated, neutral moderator/mediator. He or she does not need to be paid, he or she just needs a dedication to our community remaining just that -- a community.
-TU status needs to be harder to receive, and when it is received, the user must agree to the proper uses of this power. Failure to agree or failure to abide by such agreement will result in revocation of TU status and resulting powers.
-Autoban or a moderator needs to take action well before one has the chance to accrue more HRs than the number of today's Julian date (today is day 110 of 365, fyi).
-One needs to have had TU status for longer than 3-6 consecutive months to be able to uprate a hidden comment.
That being said, here is the one and only way I will break this TTFN: severe weather outbreaks. If there is a major tornado or severe weather outbreak, you bet your ass I'll be here to alert you every step of the way. Like I've said for days, I care deeply about each and every one of you, and I won't let the lack of administration of this site get in the way of even one person's safety, not now, not ever.
You guys have my email, you have my Twitter, I have about 50 of you on Facebook, and I assure you I'll be here if severe weather strikes. Markos, you need to do something about this now, because your most loyal and dedicated members are getting angry, and as the phrase-of-the-year goes: "You don't win by alienating your base."
TTFN.
-Dennis (weatherdude)
The following members of the DailyKos community agree with the above stated position, and have agreed to TTFN (with or without stipulation) until these conditions are met.
-KelleyRN2 (further explanation HERE)
-Im a frayed knot
-indiemcemopants
-edrie